Channel camera

Abstract

Shown is a camera unit (10) for monitoring rehabilitation work in sewer pipes. The camera unit includes a camera (19) and a preferably liquid-tight housing (11) in which the camera is placed. A window (13) is provided in this housing, behind which the camera is located. A wiper (17) for removing debris is fixed to a support (15) in front of the window. The wiper is preferably movable back and forth by means of a drive mechanism.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA OF INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to a sewer camera according to the preamble of claim 1. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Work inside sewer pipes always takes place in darkness, regardless of the time of day. Often, the machines are operated from the surface, so no one needs to enter the pipe. Sometimes, the size of a pipe simply doesn't allow for a person to be inside, forcing the operator to control the machines remotely. In such situations, a camera on the tool helps display the area to be worked on to the operator on a monitor. When working inside sewer pipes, the tools are constantly exposed to various types of dirt and debris. These can obstruct the camera's view, thus limiting its visibility.

[0003] Because sewer pipes have high humidity and can occasionally be flushed with water or sewage, it is crucial that the camera does not come into contact with water or steam. Steam can also cloud the camera lens, requiring it to be cleaned first.

[0004] US Patent 4,363,545 A describes an apparatus for the photographic inspection of the interior of a pipe. The apparatus includes an optical element located behind a circular glass window. A cleaning device in the form of a wiper is mounted on the glass window. The wiper is attached to a support, which, when activated, pivots the wiper back and forth, thereby cleaning the glass window. The wiper support is connected to a wheel that rotates when the apparatus is moved within a pipe. The rotation of the wheel activates the support.

[0005] DE 20 2018 103145 U1 discloses a device for pipe inspection with a cleaning unit comprising a nozzle for the surface cleaning of a camera's viewing window. The basic concept of this device is to create a compressed air shield above the viewing window by means of a gas used for surface cleaning via a nozzle. This shield prevents contact between the viewing window and particles or, alternatively, rapidly removes such particles by means of the compressed air acting on the viewing window. The device comprises a stationary housing section and a rotatable housing section. A camera is arranged behind a viewing window in the rotatable housing section and rotates with the housing section. A wiping lip is arranged on the stationary housing section.When the rotating housing section is rotated, the wiping lip sweeps across the camera's viewing window, the wiping flap being designed for cleaning a plurality of lighting devices arranged next to the viewing window. TASK

[0006] It is an object of the present invention to propose a device which ensures a camera has a continuously unrestricted view for observing rehabilitation work in sewer pipes. DESCRIPTION

[0007] The problem is solved by a camera unit with the features of claim 1. Further developments and / or advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0008] The invention relates to a camera unit for observing rehabilitation work in sewer pipes, comprising a camera, a preferably liquid-tight housing in which the camera is placed, a window provided in the housing behind which the camera is arranged, a wiper arranged in front of the window for removing dirt, and a first drive for the wiper. The advantage of a camera unit according to the invention is that the wiper is fixedly mounted on a support, and the support can be moved back and forth by the drive.

[0009] Various types of dirt and debris accumulate during sewer pipe rehabilitation, which can also settle on the camera unit's window. Taking pictures with the camera during rehabilitation is only possible if the window is clean enough to allow a clear view. Any dirt or debris on the window must be removed during the rehabilitation process. This is done using a wiper placed on the window. Moving the wiper removes the dirt and debris from the camera's field of view.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the camera unit has a water nozzle that sprays the water supplied to the camera unit onto the window. The water directed onto the window assists in cleaning the window with the squeegee. The use of a nozzle allows the water to be directed onto the window at a higher speed, which in turn facilitates the removal of dirt.

[0011] In another preferred embodiment, the housing is cylindrical and the window is arranged on the outer surface. Arranging the window on the outer surface necessitates adapting its shape to the curvature of the outer surface due to its bending. Thus, the window has the same curvature as the outer surface of the cylindrical housing. This bending does not create any additional edges on the window surface. Avoiding additional edges on the window surface prevents the strong refraction of light rays entering the housing. Since the light rays are not refracted more than usual, the image captured by the camera is not distorted.

[0012] The support advantageously comprises a disc. The wiper must rotate if the window is mounted on a cylindrical surface. In such a situation, a disc shape is most suitable for the support.

[0013] Preferably, the wiper is positioned perpendicular to the support. This ensures that the wiper achieves the largest possible area coverage during its movement.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment, the window encloses the cylindrical housing in its circumferential direction. This results in a continuous glass pane in the circumferential direction of the housing. This allows the wiper to move in only one direction and to always remain in contact with the glass pane. The wiper therefore only needs to be driven in one direction, which in turn leads to a simpler design and greater reliability of the drive.

[0015] The disc preferably has the same axis as the cylindrical housing and is rotatably mounted. Having the cylindrical housing and the disc on the same axis allows for a compact design. The diameter of the disc can be adapted to that of the cylindrical housing.

[0016] Preferably, the cylindrical axis of the housing is horizontally oriented. This horizontal orientation of the cylindrical housing ensures a minimal height for the camera unit. This results in a compact design and also increases the camera unit's stability against tipping.

[0017] In another preferred embodiment, the support moves in a direction parallel to an edge of the window. The wiper attached to the support thus always moves at a specific angle to the window.

[0018] Advantageously, the wiper extends from one edge to the opposite edge of the window. With each movement, the wiper covers the entire surface of the window.

[0019] The support is preferably driven by a primary electric motor. Using an electric motor offers the advantage of eliminating the need to carry fuel on the camera unit, thus increasing safety during renovation work. Furthermore, the electric motor allows for very precise control of the drive timing. This is largely due to the high torque available even at low speeds.

[0020] In another preferred embodiment, a first gear is mounted on the support and is driven by a first chain. Transmitting the drive using a chain represents a cost-effective solution.

[0021] Advantageously, the first electric motor drives the first chain via a first sprocket. The drive via a chain and sprocket is triggered by the rotation of the sprocket.

[0022] This can be rotated in both directions and thus ensure the drive of the attached chain in both directions.

[0023] A second drive can generate a rotational movement of the camera. This allows the camera to be panned around a rotational axis, thereby increasing the field of view without having to move the entire camera unit. By using a second drive, the camera's rotational movement can be performed independently of the wiper's movement. The wiper's movement is thus decoupled from the camera's rotational movement.

[0024] In another preferred embodiment, the drive for the camera's rotation comprises a second electric motor, a second chain, and a second pinion. This means that the camera unit for moving the camera and the wiper share the same components. This allows manufacturing costs to be kept low due to the larger number of identical components. At the same time, the use of a second electric motor makes it possible to utilize the current supplied to the camera unit by the first electric motor.

[0025] Since the camera is sensitive to water or water droplets in front of its lens when recording images, the cylindrical housing and the glass wall should be liquid-tight. A liquid-tight connection between the components is best achieved if the glass wall and the cylindrical housing rotate with the camera.

[0026] The cylindrical housing preferably comprises a glass wall, two covers, and a camera. By combining these components into a single element, the glass wall forms the outer surface, and the two covers form the top surfaces of a cylinder. This design requires the least amount of space.

[0027] The camera preferably rotates around the cylinder axis. This means that the camera's axis of rotation is the cylinder axis and therefore rotates around the same axis as the cylindrical housing. This allows both the camera and the cylindrical housing to rotate with just one drive.

[0028] In another preferred embodiment, the first and second chains are arranged parallel to each other. This allows for a separation between the drive-generating and the driven area. Furthermore, the chain is preferably made of stainless steel or plastic. This results in a safe and low-maintenance design, as, among other things, dirt in the chain can be removed by the gears.

[0029] Advantageously, the first and second chains are mounted on opposite sides of the cylindrical housing. This results in a symmetrical design of the camera unit with the chain drives. The symmetrical design, in turn, allows for the use of a larger number of identical components, which simplifies both manufacturing and maintenance.

[0030] In another preferred embodiment, the camera has one or more light sources directed towards the lens. This ensures that the camera's field of view is always illuminated. This is particularly important because the camera unit is predominantly used in enclosed spaces or conduits.

[0031] More than one wiper, in particular two, three, or four wipers, can be attached to the support. A higher number of wipers generally improves cleaning performance, for example, because with two wipers, the glass surface is cleaned by two wipers within the same timeframe. The design does not impose a limit on the number of wipers. However, the frictional force required to move the wipers must be overcome, and this force increases with the number of wipers, ultimately eliminating any benefit to cleaning performance beyond a certain number.

[0032] The camera unit can be attached to a tool used for sewer pipe rehabilitation. Mounting the camera unit directly on the tool reduces its footprint. This also simplifies operation, as neither the tool nor the camera unit needs to be inserted into the sewer pipe separately. Attaching the camera unit to a tool also results in a more stable position during rehabilitation work, which in turn improves the image quality.

[0033] The optional features mentioned can be implemented in any combination, provided they are not mutually exclusive. In particular, where preferred ranges are specified, further preferred ranges result from combinations of the minima and maxima mentioned in those ranges.

[0034] Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to schematic representations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0035] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the figures. They show, in a schematic representation not to scale: Figure 1: a 3D view of a camera unit according to the invention mounted on a base plate; Figure 2: a cross-section through the cylindrical housing with the camera and two attached wipers; Figure 3: another 3D view of a device according to the invention with a partially transparent wall of the drive housing; Figure 4: a horizontal section through the drive housing; Figure 5: a real image of a camera unit according to the invention with a mounted and guided cable; and Figure 6: a 3D representation of a camera unit according to the invention from the rear. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] In the following, identical reference numbers represent identical or functionally equivalent elements (in different figures). An additional apostrophe can be used to distinguish between similar, functionally equivalent, or functionally similar elements in a further variation.

[0037] In Figure 1 A preferred embodiment of the claimed camera unit 10 is shown. The housing 11, in which the camera 19 is placed, is cylindrical and has a horizontal axis 14.

[0038] The housing 11 includes a window 13, which in this embodiment extends over the outer surface of the housing. The window 13 thus comprises a cylindrical glass wall 13', both openings of which are closed by a disc-shaped cover 24, 25. The glass wall is preferably made of sapphire glass because this makes it scratch-resistant. A wiper 17 rests on the cylindrical glass wall and is oriented parallel to the cylinder axis 14. The wiper 17 is attached to a disc 15 by means of a rigid connection, so that pivoting movement of the wiper is prevented. The central axis of the disc 15 is formed by the cylinder axis 14 of the housing 11. The cover 24 is arranged between the disc 15 and the glass wall 13', tightly closing the opening of the cylindrical glass wall 13' on this side. The disc 15 projects radially beyond the cylindrical housing 11.The wiper 17 is attached to the point on the disc 15 that projects beyond the housing 11. Another wiper 18 is attached to the disc on the opposite side of the cylindrical glass wall 13'. The disc 15 serves as a support 15 for the wiper 17 and simultaneously represents the preferred form of support 15 in this embodiment.

[0039] On the side of the glass wall 13' opposite the disk 15 and the cover 24, another round cover 25 is arranged for the other opening of the cylindrical glass wall 13'. This cover 25 also has the same axis as the cylindrical housing 11. On its outer edge surface, the disk 25 has a continuous groove 27. The depth of the groove 27 is approximately the same as the width of the disk 25. This groove 27 serves to guide the cable (not shown) that transmits the data from the camera 19.

[0040] The housing 11 is attached to two side plates 21, 23 by means of two shafts 29, 31 (in Figure 1 (not shown) arranged. Each shaft 29, 31 connects one side plate 21, 23 to the cylindrical housing 11. Simultaneously, the side plates 21, 23 make contact with the base plate 73, on which the camera unit 11 rests. The side plates 21, 23 serve as supports for the cylindrical housing 11.

[0041] This allows the housing 11 to be freely rotatable about the cylinder axis 14. The side plates, in contact with the base plate 73, extend further in a perpendicular direction to the cylinder axis 14 of the housing, so that the length of the side plates 21, 23 is greater than the distance between them. The sides to which the side plates 21, 23 are arranged thus define the longitudinal sides of the camera unit 10. While the housing 11 is arranged at one end of the side plates, another component, the drive housing 20, is attached at the other end between the side plates. The items contained therein are in Figure 4 shown and described in detail below.

[0042] In Figure 2A section through the cylindrical housing 11 is shown. Since the section is not vertical through the entire component, the side plates 21, 23 do not project beyond the cylindrical housing 11 in the radial direction. The cylindrical housing 11 is arranged on two shafts 29, 31, which in turn are each attached to a side plate 21, 23 by means of a bearing 33, 34. Both shafts rotate synchronously with the camera 19. The disk 15 with the wiper 17 is mounted on a first shaft 29 via an additional bearing 35. This allows the disk 15 to rotate independently of the camera 19. A gear 37 is also arranged next to the disk 15 on the same bearing 35. This gear also has the cylinder axis 14 as its central axis and has a smaller diameter than the disk 15. The gear has a chain 49 on its outer radius, which allows it to be driven.Due to the rigid connection between the gear 37 and the disk 15 with the wipers, these components rotate simultaneously at all times. The disk 15 has two holes at different distances from the cylinder axis 14. However, both holes are located in the area of ​​the disk 15 that projects radially beyond the glass wall 13'. Two rods 16 are mounted in each of these two round holes, positioned perpendicular to the plane of the disk 15 and on the side of the disk 15 facing the camera 19. The wiper 17 is fitted onto these rods 16, completely enclosing both rods. The wiper 17 extends towards the glass wall just enough to make contact with it.

[0043] The glass wall 13' is located between two disc-shaped covers 24, 25. However, these covers project partially into the glass wall, causing the glass wall 13' to rest on the covers 24, 25. In the area of ​​the section of the covers 24, 25 that projects into the glass wall 13', a recess is provided in the circumferential direction. O-rings 39 are placed in these recesses, ensuring a completely tight seal of the interior of the glass wall.

[0044] The cover 24, which is attached to the side where the disc 15 with the wiper is located, has a diameter that is smaller than that of the glass wall 13'. This allows the wipers 17 attached to the disc 15 to reach the glass wall 13'.

[0045] The cover 25 with the notch is mounted on a second shaft 31. This shaft 31 is supported on the side plate 21 by means of a bearing 34. The other end of the shaft extends to the camera 19 and forms a flush finish with the cover 25 mounted on it. The shaft 31 is driven by a gear 43 attached to it. This gear, in turn, is positioned between the side plate 21 and the cover 25 with the notch. An additional washer 45 is mounted between the gear 43 and the side plate 21, which prevents slippage and translational movement of the components attached to this shaft 31.

[0046] The two covers 24, 25 of the glass wall are each attached to the camera 19 by means of a screw (not shown here). These screw connections also press the covers 24, 25 onto the glass wall 13' to create an interference fit between the covers 24, 25 and the glass wall 13', causing the glass wall 13' to rotate along with the covers 24, 25. Since the cover 25 has a fixed connection to the shaft 31, the camera 19 always performs the same rotational movement as the cover 25 and the shaft 31.

[0047] This results in two independent rotations. First, the cylindrical housing 11, formed by the glass wall 13 and the disc-shaped covers 24, 25, and containing the camera 19, rotates about the cylinder axis 14. Second, the disc 15, to which at least one wiper 17 is attached, also rotates about the same axis, independently of the first rotation. The two gears 37, 43 attached to the shafts 29, 31 are each responsible for generating one of these two rotations. The first rotation is achieved by rotating the first shaft 29 and the second shaft 31. These are each attached to the side plates 21, 23 via a first bearing 33 and a second bearing 34. The second rotation is achieved by driving the gear. The bearing 35 on the first shaft 29 allows the components mounted on this bearing 35 to rotate independently of the movement of the shaft 29.

[0048] In Figure 3 The entire camera unit 10 is shown again in its entirety. The camera 19 is tilted slightly upwards. This makes the lights 47, which are positioned around the camera lens, visible. These are permanently integrated into the camera 19 and always direct their light in the direction in which the camera lens is pointed.

[0049] The drive housing 20 is shown with a transparent outer wall. This allows the components arranged within this part to be visualized. The largest components are the electric motors 53 and 55, which drive the rotation of the camera 19 and the wiper 17. The electric motors 53 and 55 have a cylindrical design, with the length of each motor being a multiple of its diameter. The electric motors 53 and 55 are oriented such that their cylindrical axis is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the camera unit 10.

[0050] The connection between the electric motors 53, 55 and the rotating component with the camera is made via chain drives. The chains 49, 51 engage with the gears 37, 43 on one side and with the pinions (not shown) on the drive component on the other. Thus, the chains 49, 51 enable the transmission of the drive motion of the electric motors 53, 55 to the rotational motion of the camera 19 or the wiper 17. The chains 49, 51 are arranged parallel to each other and are located on opposite sides of the camera 19.

[0051] The electric motors 53, 55 each have a drive shaft 57, 59. These are arranged in the direction of the cylinder axis of the electric motor 53, 55. The drive shaft 57, 59 includes a bevel gear at its free end. The bevel gear of a drive shaft 57, 59 is positively connected to a bevel gear of a transmission shaft 61, 63. This indicates that the transmission shafts 61, 63 are oriented perpendicular to the drive shafts 57, 59. Thus, the transmission shafts 61, 63 are arranged parallel to the shaft 31, which causes the rotary motion of the cylindrical housing 11.

[0052] In Figure 4A horizontal cross-section through the drive housing 20 is shown. The drive housing 20 has two lateral openings, which are arranged opposite each other on both longitudinal sides. These are bores in which a bearing is mounted. The transmission shaft 61, 63 is guided through these bearings and thus also through the bores. The transmission shaft 61, 63 extends from the center to just outside the drive component. One end of the transmission shaft 61, 63 is located in the center of the drive component and is supported by a bearing mounted there. The other end of the transmission shaft 61, 63 protrudes from the drive housing 20. A pinion 65, 67 is arranged at each of the protruding ends of the transmission shaft. The end of the transmission shaft is flush with the pinion 65, 67.Both the pinion 65, 67 and the bevel gear on the transmission shaft are fixed to the transmission shaft 61, 63. This transmits the rotary motion of the drive shaft 57, 59 via the transmission shaft 61, 63 to the pinion 65, 67. The presence of two electric motors 53, 55 with two independent transmissions allows for separate control of the rotary movements of the camera 19 and the wiper 17.

[0053] On the two upper longitudinal edges of the drive housing 20, as shown in Figure 5As shown, two profile elements 69 are attached. The profiles comprise an H-profile, with one surface of the H-profile resting on the top of the housing 20. The H-profile is positioned so that its center is located directly above the edge of the housing. The horizontal, upper surface of the H-profile forms two U-shaped areas along its length. The two opposing U-shaped areas of both profiles serve as receiving areas for the cable 71, which is guided from the notch 25 in the disk 27 to the top of the camera unit 11. The cable 71 is positioned on the drive housing 20 such that it extends into the receiving areas of both H-profiles by means of a loop.

[0054] Below the side plates 21, 23 and the drive housing 20, a further horizontal plate 73 is arranged, the plate 73 being attached to the drive housing 20. The plate 73 projects beyond the side plates 21, 23. At each point where it projects beyond the side plates, the plate 73 has four bores arranged in a line along the longitudinal direction of the camera unit 10. These bores are for receiving screws with which the entire camera unit 10 can be attached to a tool.

[0055] In Figure 6A further embodiment of the camera unit according to the invention is shown. In this embodiment, the profiles 69 on the drive housing 20 do not comprise H-profiles but only U-profiles. However, the U-profiles fulfill the same function as the U-shaped receiving areas of the H-profiles described above. A clamping plate 75 is attached to the upper edge of the drive housing 20 closest to the camera. This causes it to lie perpendicular to the two profiles 69 described above on the drive housing.

[0056] The side plates 21, 23 have both round holes and elongated holes. These serve to accommodate screws for attaching the side plates 21, 23 to the drive housing 20. Removing just one side plate 21, 23 is sufficient to remove or replace the camera 19. The shaft 29, 31, located on the same side as the removed side plate 21, 23, can then be removed along with the components attached to it. This exposes the camera 19, which can then also be removed or replaced.

[0057] Contrary to the description of the previous embodiment from Figure 5 The example in Figure 6 a base plate 73 with only two holes on one side.

[0058] While specific embodiments have been described above, it is obvious that different combinations of the embodiments shown can be used, provided that the embodiments are not mutually exclusive. REFERENCE MARK LIST:

[0059] 10 Camera unit 11 Cylindrical housing 13 Window / Glass wall 14 Cylindrical shaft from housing 15 Round disc / Support 16 Rods in wiper 17 Wiper 19 Camera 20 Drive housing 21 First side plate 23 Second side plate 24 First cover 25 Second cover / disc 27 Notch 29 First shaft 31 Second shaft 33 First bearing 34 Second bearing 35 Bearing on shaft 37 Gear 39 O-ring 43 First gear 45 Additional disc 47 Camera lights 49 First chain 51 Second chain 53 First electric motor 55 Second electric motor 57 First drive shaft 59 Second drive shaft 61 First transmission shaft 63 Second transmission shaft 65 First pinion 67 Second pinion 69 Profile element 71 Cable 73 Base plate 75 Terminal plate

Claims

1. Camera unit (10) for observing rehabilitation work in sewer pipes with - a camera (19), - a preferably liquid-tight housing (11) in which the camera is placed, - a window (13) provided in the housing (11), behind which the camera is arranged, and - a wiper (17) arranged in front of the window for wiping off soiling, and - a first drive for the wiper (17), characterized in that the wiper (17) is arranged immovably on a support (15) and the support (15) can be moved back and forth by the drive, and in that the housing (11) is cylindrical and the window (13) is arranged on the lateral surface.

2. Camera unit (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the camera unit (10) has a water nozzle which sprays water fed to the camera unit (10) onto the window (13).

3. Camera unit (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support (15) comprises a disk and preferably the wiper is arranged perpendicular to the support.

4. Camera unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the window (13) encloses the cylindrical housing (11) in the circumferential direction thereof.

5. Camera unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the disk (15) has the same axis (14) as the cylindrical housing (11) and is rotatably mounted.

6. Camera unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support (15) moves in a direction parallel to an edge of the window (13) and is preferably driven by a first electric motor (53).

7. Camera unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the wiper (17) projects at least from one edge to the opposite edge of the window (13).

8. Camera unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first gear wheel (43) is attached to the support (15) and is driven by a first chain (49), the first electric motor (53) preferably driving the first chain (49) via a first pinion (65).

9. Camera unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a second drive generates a rotary movement of the camera (19) and preferably rotates the camera (19) about the cylinder axis (14) of the housing (11).

10. Camera unit (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that the drive for the rotary movement of the camera (19) comprises a second electric motor (55), a second chain (51) and a second pinion (67).

11. Camera unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the glass wall (13) and the cylindrical housing (11) rotate together with the camera (19) and preferably the cylindrical housing comprises the glass wall (13), its two covers (24), (25) and the camera (19).

12. Camera unit (10) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the first and second chains (49, 51) are arranged parallel to each other and preferably mounted on opposite sides of the cylindrical housing (11).

13. Camera unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera (19) has one or more light sources (47) directed in the direction of the lens.

14. Camera unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that more than one wiper (17), in particular two, three or four wipers, are attached to the support (15).

15. Camera unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the camera unit (10) is attached to a tool.

Images